This post is in response to two photo challenges, which I could say is killing two birds with one stone, but given the subject matter, that would be most inappropriate. This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Flight’ (see more responses here), and this week’s Friendly Friday challenge theme is ‘Dreamy’ (see more responses here).
The ‘flight’ response is more immediately obvious. This is a pueo (Hawaiian short-eared owl) flying. In the top photo it’s cruising over pastureland. In the middle is its initial launch into the air. Below that, hovering above something promising in the grass. And at the bottom, a dive to take a better look.
These photos also work for the ‘dreamy’ response for two less apparent reasons. The first is that I’ve always had flying dreams, less frequently these days, but still every now and again. The thought of gliding above the landscape, as in the top photo, is very pleasing for me. The second reason is that seeing pueo is still a somewhat surreal, dreamy event. Owls are often nocturnal, but pueo are active during the day. In the air they are accomplished fliers, gliding, hovering, diving with little apparent effort. At rest, they look very dignified as they sit, keeping watch, head swiveling a disconcerting 360°.
These photos are of the same pueo, seen on a recent drive along Old Saddle Road, southeast of Waimea. I’ll post other photos of this bird once I’ve had time to go through them, but seeing it was a great, chance encounter at the end of my best ever day for seeing pueo.
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they are really great photos as everyone is saying. I am a little jelous of the flying dreams, it took me a long time to achieve that, and now they are gone. Flight in dreams is linked to Astral Projection you know.
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These days my flying dreams are far fewer than before. Didn’t know that about astral projection.
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First of all, owls in Hawaii?! I wouldn’t have imagined. Tropical birds belong there and owls over here! 😊
Second, great shots! The owl looks so at ease.
Third, I have flying dreams too, I mean when I sleep
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There are barn owls here too, though I haven’t seen one, but the pueo is endemic to Hawaii so even though I see them regularly, every time it feels a bit special. This particular owl stuck around for a while before it took to the air. I’ll post more photos soon. Gotta love flying dreams. There’s something so liberating about them.
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Yep flying feels so natural and normal in those dreams!
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And when I wake, for a short time, everything seems possible.
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Great shots #friendlyFriday
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Thanks. I took a LOT of photos of this bird!
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Lovely, Graham. Very special to see and photograph too. Hopefully too the encounter will inspire more flying dreams.
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I hope so. It’s a treat to be able to observe one of these owls for as long as I did this one. A special day.
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Fascinating photos. I am a lifelong personal-flight dreamer as well.
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I prefer my flying dreams to my apocalyptic end-of-the-world dreams!
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Happy to say I don’t have end-of-the-world dreams. I do visit frequently with a few select theoretically dead people in always pleasant encounters. Right up there with flying in the favorites category.
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Does sound good. I also very much like the phrase ‘theoretically dead people.’
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Wow, what a beautiful bird, and to be able to see them during the day, Graham. Great captures and always fun to combine photo challenges!
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I’ll be posting more photos of this bird. Seeing it was the culmination of a great day of Pueo viewing.
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